Building structure



Dec. 21, 1943. L. A. BEINOIST Patented Dec. 21, 1943 UNETED STATES@FFEQEZ BUILDING STRUCTURE Louis A. Benoist, San Francisco, Calif.

Application June 23, 194.2, Serial No. 448,926

(Cl. Ell-1.2)

2 Claims.

rely invention relates to building structures, and particularly toimprovements in structures which require no metal fastenings and which,for strength and support of their walls, rely on the interlocking ofcomponent parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a selfsustained, nail-less,plural-walled building struc ture comprising a plurality of wall formingboards laid horizontally one on the other and interlocks near their endsby overlapping with simi r boards forming the adjacent walls, all complmentary notches, and a plurality of horlzcn -.lly arranged bracesextending between an; through opposite walls of said structure, saidbraces being notched and fitted into complementary notches in said wallswhere they pass through the same, and with vertically adjacent bracesnotched to interlock with each other, to provide a building structurehaving maximum strength and yet which can be easily disassembled andmoved to another location for reassembly; to provide a novel form ofwall supporting structure in a building intended for storthings such asgrain where the walls must withstand a substantial lateral pressureunder load; to provide a structure which lends itself to ore-fabricationat the mill and can then be directly to intended assembly point andthere assembled without further cutting or ,ening; to provide a quicklyerected stand-by v unit, which is normally kept in dis- ...ibledcondition; to provide a form of brace ock so that the lateral expansionand conn of the horizontal wall members will not inteliere with saidlock or cause the sides to open to provide a structure in which theeffect 'or the walls to float alongside the vertical members and therebybecome selfadiustmg as the former contract or expand.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent fromthe following descripticn taken in connection with the drawing, inwhich:

Fig. l is a view in perspective of the assembled Fig. 6 is a similarView of one of the vertical lock and support members E Fig. 'l is asimilar view of one of the horizontal brace and lock members F; and

Fig. 8 is a similar view of one of the uppermost horizontal brace andlock members G.

It is preferable to erect the structure on a suitable flat slab it, madeof concrete or other strong material. When filled with wheat the loadcontained within a structure about 14 feet square and 16 feet high is 80tons or about 800 lbs. per sq. it. This also gives an idea of thestrength required in the walls to support the sidewise or lateral thrustof such a load and emphasizes the merit of my form of rugged,interlocked, self-supporting structure which at the same time is capableof such quick erection for use where needed.

Assuming that the slab i6 is provided, the next step in assembling thestructure is to set a bottom wall member A on the opposite sides of Ill.Then at right angles to these are set the full bottom members B, withinterlocks H in A enthe interlocks l2 in B. Note the flat bottoms 13 onA and B which rest on slab iii.

For the abutting faces of wall members A, B, C, and D, I prefer to usewhat is known as ship lap (see Figs. 2 to 5), which means that eachabuttin board has a tongue M adapted to'fit into a complementary recessIt in the adjacent boa This serves to distribute the lateral strain bet.een the wall boards and to minimize leakage if cross grain shrinkageshould be uneven and tend to open cracks between the horizontal boards.

The four interlocked members A and B are centered on the foundation.Then a tier of wall members C is placed so their r spective slots l2slots H in B and C. One or more tiers of wall members C may be stacked,one on the other, before placing a tier of D members, all depending onhow many horizontal brace and lock members F will be used. In Fig. 1 Iilluseat; one tier of C members, because the lateral pressure all theway to the bottom is taken by the first set of F members.

The D members are like horizontal wall members C, except that they haveadditional slots is to en age and interlock with slots l'l, l 8 in the Fmembers where they pass through the side walls.

The horizontal F members are put under tension when the structure isloaded with grain. They brace the sidewalls against the outward lateralpressure: First, by reason of the interlook with D members at it; andsecond, by reason of a vertical locking and support member E which isenveloped within the grooves 2i] in the ends of the F members adjacentnotches I! and i8. Grooves 28 are of a combined depth about equal to thethickness of member E. Preferably the fit is a snug sliding fit so thatany vertical movement of braces F, occasioned as members A, B, C, and Dexpand or contract, will b allowed for. Preferably the ends of each pairof brace members F are bolted together at 2 They may be tied together,or any fastening may be omitted entirely,

A further modification is possible too, namely, to use a singlehorizontal F member in place of the pair facing each other. In that casethe support member E fits in the groove just the same and instead ofbeing held therein by an adjacent oppositely facing F member, it can beheld in by a binding cord which will permit a sliding fit. Also, in casethe single F members are used they can be alternated so the groove 26faces to the right in one and to the left in the one above, and so on.This will serve to hold the E member in place.

Locking members E provide a direct surface contact and vertical supportoutside wall members A, B, C, and D. The lateral thrust against one wallis cancelled out by the corresponding thrust against the opposite wall,transmitted through braces F and locking members E.

While it is preferable and lends uniformity and interchangeability tohave horizontal looking members F received in notches it in the adjacentpair of wall members D, my invention contemplates that only one of theadjacent D members might be notched. The primary purpose of the notch 16is to allow the F member to pass through the wall to the outside so thata support member E may be received in groove 20.

For this latter purpose also, it is not essential in my invention thatthe F members be notched to interlock with wall members D, inasmuch asthe principal support given wall members A, B, C and D by the F membersis through the vertical locking member E which F supports.

Brace members F also may have notches 22 which interlock at 23, 24, 25and 25 on the interior of the structure where they cross. These serve toadd rigidity to the structure and also to provide necessary support ifthe structure is to be partitioned inside into vertically extendingcellular bins.

The next step is to assemble one or more tiers of horizontal wallmembers C, then a pair of D members with the brace members F lockedbetween them, and so on until the desired height of structure isreached.

Near the top the lateral pressure is lighter and brace members G willprove of sufiicient strength to support vertical locking members E neartheir top. The G members are like the F members except they are oflesser vertical dimension and omit the interlock grooves 22.

From this description it will be seen that every part of the structureA, B, C, D, E, F and G is interlocked with other parts in such a mannerthat the strain is placed on the boards where they can best withstandit. No nails are needed to secure the structure in assembled position,thus permitting disassembly without destructive splitting, etc. There isthus no end to the number of times the structure can be moved about fromplace to place and assembled and disassembled at will.

In order to empty the structure a door 30 may be provided in the slabIt, opening below into a hopper or into a conventional endless conveyor.Another alternative is to have the opening 3! closed by suitable slats32, 33, The frame 35 is channeled at 35 to receive the ends of wallboards D and C, the top of member A and the bottom of member D.

Any suitable cover may be provided over the top. I have shown one at tosupported on roof joists ii, 62 and upper wall members A. It is coveredwith a material such as the slats 43, through which there is a fillingopening 54.

While I have illustrated the principle of my invention with a structureemploying a pair of horizontal and vertical braces F and E for eachwall, the same principle is present if it had one or a plurality of suchsets of braces F and E.

Also, while I have illustrated a roof over the structure, it can be usedwithout such a roof.

While I have shown the preferred construction, which answers therequirements very eiiectively, I do not desire to be confined to theprecise details, but aim in my claims to cover all modifications whichdo not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A demountable, self-supporting vertically and longitudinallyexpandible and contractible building structure in which each board is inslidable interlocked relation to those adjacent to it, and each wall iscomposed of a plurality of horizontal wall members with each verticallyadjacent pair having male and female engaging slots along their abuttingedges, the bottom wall mem" bers on oppositely facing walls being Ofless vertical height than the other bottom wall members, whereby saidvertically placed wall members may be notched and locked at theirintersecting corners, and the aforesaid engaging slots on adjr. centboards will be slidably engaged, and in which selected horizonta1 wallmembers will have slots cut therein along their length between theirinterlocked corners to receive horizontal side to side locking memberspassing through said slots, said locking members having verticallyextending notches with the innermost edge of each notch lyingsubstantially in the plane of the outside vertical faces of said wallmembers, and vertical members slidably engaged in said notches.

2. A demountable, self-supporting vertically and longitudinallyexpandible and ccntractible building structure in which each board is inslidable interlocked relation to those adjacent to it, and each wall iscomposed of a plurality of horizontal wall members with each verticallyadjacent pair having inter-engaging slots along their abutting edges,the bottom wall members on oppositely facing walls being of lessvertical height than the other bottom wall members. whereby saidvertically placed wall members may be notched and locked at theirintersecting corners, and the aforesaid engaging slots on adjacentboards will be slidably engaged, and in which selected horizontal wallmembers will have slots cut therein along their length between theirinterlocked corners to receive horizontal side to side locking memberspassing through said slots, said locking members having verticallyextending notches with the innermost edge of each notch lyingsubstantially in the plane of the outside vertical iaces of said wallmembers, and vertical members slidably engaged in said notches.

LOUIS A. BENOIST.

